


Mad King

by Goji



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Anthropomorphic, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Lizards, Major character death - Freeform, Mild Gore, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Rabbits, Royalty, Science Fiction, Spoilers, Survival, Talking Animals, Work In Progress, apes, characters built from technology, epic story, genetically created creatures, new society of animal like beings, queen's death, wolf - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-25 01:06:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9795470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goji/pseuds/Goji
Summary: This work is just a snippet. A germ if you will, of a much larger virus, that has been eating at my brain. So spoiler warnings all around. Allot of shoehorning and plot contrivances, are factored in from the full story being stripped away. Also in all truth it is not fully worked out. I am putting this up as the first thing. To get opinions and critiques, on my style for this book. It changes from story to story, given the subject matter. So welcome to my first post, of hopefully many.This is a multichapter story in progress. Comments and Kudos are love! Lemme know if you like the story so far :)





	

After having deprived himself, of both sleep and food. He had finally lost all sense of who he was. His wife had been murdered. Revenge dictated his every action. Paranoia whispered of enemies in his ears. Rage, and sadness had overcome his resolve. His pendulum like emotions, made him a danger to all. And he was the king. An animal of kindness, now was replaced by savage beast of rage.

His proclamations of insanity were followed, but only to a point. The knights at his command, had long stopped listening to his terrible machinations. Orders were ignored, as his anger targeted the people of the land. One last effort was made by his best friend, and closest confidant, to bring him to his senses. A Rappis of much refinement and a sharp mind. He implored his friend to rethink his planned actions. But was rebuked for his knowledge of his wife's death.

As the Rappis exited the staging room used for planning hunts and battles, he saw the King’s eldest daughter standing there. A look of indecision on her face. He quickly wiped his eyes now moist from frustration and sadness. The daughter acted as if she didn’t notice. Looking back at the door, he said. “He is gone. I don't know what is in that room.” With a sigh he looked back at the princess. “You are, I think, his favorite and the only one who can save him.” Putting a paw on her shoulder he leaned in. And a sound no more than dust settling on a disused desk he said. “Your mother would not suffer this fool.” She watched him leave, he looked exhausted. She turned back to the door and after a deep breath walked towards it.

She knocked before she entered. But with no response the door was pushed open. She found the King, her father, gibbering over the replica of the castle, and all his lands. She respectfully walked off to the right of him, and waited for his response. When none came she said “Father, we must talk.” He jumped around, fear in his eyes. As his blurry sleep deprived vision cleared, he noticed it was her. “Ah daughter isn’t it wonderful?” he said through twitches and giggles. “All your mothers enemies, in our grasp.”

“But father.” Said she. “What enemies do you speak of?” “We have already took care of, the ones responsible.” Her father stared at her. “Have we? Have we indeed.” “Her enemies are here he pointed at the representation of the main housing area of the castle.” “And here.” He pointed at the garrison house. “And here.” He pointed roughly at he kitchen of the castle, Almost breaking the model. This being the source of the death of his wife. It had been hit the hardest, being the brunt of his rage.

The perpetrators were captured, and admitted their part in the plot. He slew the first one in cold blood. The only reason the other did not suffer the same fate, was fast thinking of the Rappis. He used the excuse of interrogation, to save her life. Hoping to protect her, and prevent more blood shed.

The daughter knew all this. And even her heart burned for revenge. But it was not their way. Revenge was brought at the end of a sword in a duel or in a court of piers. The king was to let the courts decide their fate. So far he not only over stepped his place in the kingdom, he was on the verge of tearing it to pieces, destroying its people for petty revenge.

All these thoughts went through her head. “Father you are destroying my mothers kingdom!” He started from her words. He turned on her, losing his balance. Fatigue was finally getting him. She swam before his eyes. “Destroy your mothers kingdom?” He yelled hoarsely. “Yes.” She replied. “You are going to hurt the people she loved. You will damage the trust that the people have in their king. You will be tarnishing her name in useless revenge.”

“Revenge?” He spit out. “I do this not for revenge, but to bring justice. And if every person in this kingdom dies to get it so be it.” The last part was croaked out. He stood defiant with the help of the planning table. The room now had started to slowly spin. He didn’t feel well. He was exerting to much energy in his tirade.

With tears in her eyes, and anger building. A sad voice intruded into her mind. “Your mother would not suffer this fool.” She threw away her anger at this pathetic creature before her and summoned the spirit of her mother. Picturing in her head what her mother would do, to shake his madness. She ran at him. In his state he could not defend himself. And mustering all her strength, she hit him. A right punch to the face. He flew and spun. He had lost a lot of weight from malnutrition and was swung off his feat.

There was a crash against the wall and the king slumped into a pile. He laid still for a few seconds then started getting up. All he could muster was his paws and knees. The pain in his face was a dull distant throb. “Traitors! All of you traitors!” He tried to yelled. The sounds issuing from his throat were a death rattle. Crawling he looked up. She stood there. “How dare you! How dare you think to presume that people my mother loved are traitors! How dare you try to destroy my mothers kingdom on your whims! Who are you but a creature married into the kingdom! You have no right to hurt anybody on your personal vendettas!” Fear for her mother’s people was replaced by a defiance, against the madness he would perpetrate.

But he heard none of that. Before him was his wife. Naked, arms at her sides. Her fur radiating out from her form. Her eyes looking strait ahead. “My darling, my love, you are here.” He grabbed for her, but was slapped away by his daughter. She looked at this pathetic thing with disgust. Stepping back from him. But in his mind she stood there. Then she looked down at him. He could feel her in  
his soul. And through a hissing distant voice she said calmly. “Husband….. What have you done to my kingdom?” Her voice, though quiet, it echoed and reverberated shaking him to his core it. He felt the anger pass over him. It was hot and the pressure was unbearable. As he looked, fire erupted from her. The once beautiful flowing hair was now flames that licked the air. He shied away from it. Trying to crawl backwards but he couldn’t move. Fear took over and he started to sob. He knew he was to be punished. He could see all his evil, like a mirror held up to his soul. He bowed before her and said “My queen.” with a sad, shaking voice.

Then it began. The fire radiating from her body lashed out. He felt the pain as his clothes were roughly burned from his body. Lash after lash removed more and more of his modesty. His fear rose as the burning grew more intense. He was then naked. The ashes of his clothes were blown away from gusts of hot air, emanating from his furious queen. He looked up. He lost himself at the sight. There floated before him a spirit of pure fury. Flame flowed out of her eyes like lava. The hair was now a full halo of cleansing fire. Then the second stage of her punishment began.

The lashes came fast and numerous. This time his flesh was being flayed from his body. Lash after lash peeled the skin away till just the muscle. Then the muscle was removed, chunk after sinewy chunk. An acrid smell of cooking flesh and muscle filled the air. Making him choke and retch, at his own punishment. There was just to much pain for him to register it all. At the last, all he did was scream. Then his inner organs were torn out. Also succumbing to the flame. He thought to him self in a moment of diminished pain “This is where I die.” But he did not. A glowing orb of light appear as his bones were vaporized. It floated, refusing to fall to gravity. For the first time she moved towards him. He tried in vain, yet again, to get away from this angel of justice. He lowered his vision, not being able to look up on her vengeful visage any more.

Then her presence cooled. He felt the fire that threatened to engulf him pull away. He looked up, and she was herself again. A kind gentle look in her eyes. She took the orb in her caring paws and hugged the orb to her chest. He felt her warmth. This is the wife he knew. The one that soothed the orphan that scraped her leg. The one that held him close, tears in her eyes when he had lost his arm. So much love was in that warmth. “My husband.” She said quietly. “You will be cleansed. You will be healed. You will be strong.” She held the orb up to her face. Spinning it around she found a black crack. She took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. The crack disapeared.

Her last words rung in his head as he slowly woke up. Her caring warmth slowly diminishing. “You will fix the damage you have created. You will make amends for your evil. And you will save my killer from her hell.”

“Do this my love, and I wont destroy you.”

He sat bolt upright, and fell back promptly. The sun blazed in his window. He shuddered for a bit. He was in his bed his daughter was staring at him a concerned look in her eyes. “How long.” “Three days.” She responded. Emotions started to stream out of his eyes. He couldn’t stop it. His Queen had done something to him. She had released him, from a promise made as children. His daughter sat next to him, lifted his head put her arms around him. He buried his head into her shoulder. He began to cry. Sorrow could be felt from his sobs. As if a damn broke, his loss was fully felt. He howled with rage, sadness, regret, and loss. At times he had no oxygen left in his lungs yet he still cried. Tears formed in her eyes, her pain also coming into the fore. She mourned along with him, and for him. She was his world, and she is now gone. The fear he must feel, the hurt he bears. It crushed him. She was glad that her father seems to have returned. The time to make amends is near, but now a husband must morn his wife. He slowed down. His tears had become cold and didn’t stick to his fur. They just fell unhindered by logic. His soul was empty.

He sat there for another few minutes. Took the top sheet from the bed and wiped his eyes and then blew his nose on it. Weakly, he tossed it into a corner of the room. His daughter giggled a bit. Never had she seem him act, in such a crude manor. He looked at her and smiled with more embarrassment than mirth.

His mouth opened and he tried to speak. It was just air and rattle. Her eyes went wide and said “But of course let me get you something.” She opened the door he saw the Rappis there. He was looking at the floor leaning back against the wall. He could sense his depression. “To keep this secret against his will. Then to have me turn against him.” The king closed his eyes slowly. “Will he ever forgive me?” The Rappis’ head lifted and they made eye contact. The tired king waved for him to enter. He did so slowly and reluctantly.

Looking under the bed covers he noticed that he was dressed in new and somewhat respectable clothes. He pulled the blankets away to release his body from its cocoon. He put his legs over the bed and slowly stood. The Rappis eyed him not sure what to do. The king held up a paw motioning for him to wait a minutes. In fits and starts he walked over to the window. Holding on to whatever would support him.

He looked out the window, he grabbed a supporting hold, on the chair under it. A cloud covered the city. The people busied themselves with the days chores. “I almost destroyed this.” That bitter thought cut him. Feeling the wood under his paw. He looked down at Her favorite chair. The use was obvious. So much wear and tear. But she refused to get rid of it. The sun brightened, shining light on the chair. Scents came up from the warmed wood. He could smell her perfume. The flowery one she loved so much. She said it reminded her of the orphanage garden. The smell of her leather. Though she wore fine regalia, when out and about. She would return to their room, and promptly put her battle armor on. After the hardship they had during the betrayal. It was a part of her. Something that made her feel safe. These remembrances entered his mind. And choked him with regret. Such small things. Barely noticed, as one goes through the routine of life. Now grabbed onto, by the mind, as though she would disappear from memory without them.

He with great difficulty, moved the chair to the side of the bed. After he was done, he felt his strength leave him. When he fell, paws caught him and gently moved him onto his bed. He sat hard, grateful for the release of pressure on his malnourished muscles. “My friend.” He thought. “After all the mistreatment, your loyalty is unwavering.” He did not deserve this. But he accepted the help any way.

He motioned for the Rappis to sit beside him. His eyes went wide. Yet he complied. This motion told him many things. He was forgiven for keeping the secret of his wife’s mortal danger. And the king was a king no more. The stoicism that he usually showed finally cracked. And he sobbed. The king took his paw in his, giving it a tight squeeze, to offer solace. The king pulled his paw back, weakly. They sat there in silence.

So much change, so much loss, so much sadness. How does one king cause so much. And how does he fix it afterwords. These thoughts were in his head as his daughter came in. She was carrying a tray. She stopped, her breath caught in her throat. She also knew the implications of what she saw. He mouthed with a rasp “Your brother.” A grim look came to her face. She placed the tray onto the bed. Nodded quickly and left to fetch him.

Looking down at the tray, he saw delights of many kinds. He found all of it to be unappetizing. His emotions were in turmoil, and he was unable to have an apatite. First drink then. He took the whole pitcher of water, and slowly drank a sip at a time. Agonizingly consuming, what his body was screaming for.

Thus he spoke in a cracking, quiet, and small voice. “My trusted, loyal friend. How could you ever forgive me?” This was said, with a couple of tries. And after that, sputtering. The water was trying to get to areas, not allowed. After the coughing fit subsided, he drank some more. The Rappis studied him for a bit.

He opened his mouth, and then shut it. The concentration showed, as he weighed his choice of words. His eyes slowly shut. A decision was made. He nodded, and look the king in the eyes.  
“I am the trusted, loyal friend to the king that sits before me. I know not who that was, that could hurt me so. But I hope we never meet again.” He told the king this, without breaking eye contact. As he said these things, the king had held his breath. Waiting for the end of their friendship. But it did not come. He turned towards the trey of food. “I think, I am now hungry.”


End file.
